A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF LEGAL TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION IN CONTRACT MANAGEMENT, DATA GOVERNANCE, AND COMPLIANCE MONITORING

Abstract

This systematic review examines the adoption of legal technology within the interconnected domains of contract management, data governance, and compliance monitoring, with the aim of exploring how emerging digital innovations are reshaping legal workflows, improving operational efficiency, and strengthening risk management strategies. Drawing on evidence from 72 peer-reviewed journal articles and conference proceedings published between 2015 and 2022, the study integrates legal, technological, and organizational perspectives to provide a comprehensive understanding of current practices and trends. The synthesis identifies three central categories of technological application: (1) Contract Management—covering automation tools, AI-assisted contract review, natural language processing (NLP)–based clause extraction, and blockchain-enabled smart contracts, with an emphasis on their impact on drafting precision, negotiation speed, and full lifecycle management; (2) Data Governance—encompassing secure data storage, metadata management frameworks, privacy-preserving computation, and the integration of blockchain, advanced encryption, and identity management solutions to ensure regulatory compliance and data integrity; and (3) Compliance Monitoring—highlighting the use of AI, machine learning, predictive analytics, and real-time compliance dashboards to detect anomalies, flag violations, generate automated audit trails, and enable proactive policy enforcement. Findings reveal that legal technology adoption not only streamlines routine administrative functions but also facilitates predictive decision-making, enhances transparency, fosters cross-functional collaboration, and mitigates compliance risks. Nevertheless, implementation challenges such as system interoperability, integration costs, evolving data privacy regulations, and the requirement for continuous professional upskilling present persistent obstacles. This review offers a consolidated knowledge base for legal practitioners, policymakers, and researchers, underscoring critical success factors, identifying persistent research gaps, and outlining best practices for leveraging advanced digital tools to develop more agile, transparent, and resilient legal systems.